Where are the counties you’re most likely to find drunk drivers in Minnesota?

The Department of Public Safety has answered the question today in releasing the counties targeted for increased DUI patrols around the Super Bowl.

Some of the counties are obvious — the most-populated ones. But others high on the list are comparatively sparse.

The ranking is based on drunk driving citations from 2011-2013. Of the 83,666 DUIs during that time, 77 percent of them came from these counties.

Statewide, 1 in 7 Minnesota drivers has a DWI on their record, which suggests the number in these counties is much higher.

Update: Dave Boxum at the Department of Public Safety clarifies that the list is based on its combined number of drunk driving-related deaths and alcohol-related serious injuries from 2011-2013. It’s not based on the number of citations.

About the blogger

Bob Collins was with Minnesota Public Radio from 1992-2019. He was senior editor of news in the ’90s, ran MPR’s political unit, created the MPR News regional website, invented the popular Select A Candidate, started several blogs, and every day lamented that his Minnesota Fantasy Legislature project never caught on.